Battery device and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

A battery apparatus including a case, a battery cell, a battery-side terminal, and an engaging piece. The case has a width, a thickness, and a length. The battery cell is housed in an inside of the case. The battery-side terminal is disposed on a side surface at one end of the case in a length direction and electrically connected to the battery cell. The engaging piece is disposed at the one end of the case at which the battery-side terminal is positioned such that the engaging piece extends in a length direction a same distance as the case at the one end portion. The engaging piece is at an edge of the case in a width direction.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.10/562,453, filed on Jan. 13, 2006, and is based upon and claims thebenefit of priority to International Application No. PCT/JP04/19779,filed on Dec. 24, 2004 and from the prior Japanese Patent ApplicationNo. 2003-432909 filed on Dec. 26, 2003. The entire contents of each ofthese documents are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a battery apparatus and electronicequipment operable by the battery apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

As a battery apparatus mountable on electronic equipment, there isprovided one which is provided with a case having a width, a thicknessand a length; a battery cell housed in the inside of the case, and abattery-side terminal disposed at a surface of the case and electricallyconnected to the battery cell, and which is arranged to be mounted whilemating a bottom surface positioned at one side of the thicknessdirection of the case with a mounting surface of a battery mountingsection of the electronic equipment and then sliding the case in thelength direction of the case, so that the battery-side terminal makesconnection with a mounting section-side terminal of the battery mountingsection (see for example Japanese Patent No. 2508447).

Mounting of such a battery apparatus to the battery mounting section isachieved by the engagement between engaging portions, which are disposedat the case of the battery apparatus and at the battery mountingsection, respectively.

However, in the above-mentioned battery apparatus and the electronicequipment, the engaging portions are disposed at two portions on bothends in the length direction of the case, and hence in order to securelyhold the battery apparatus to the battery mounting section, it isnecessary to set to a large value the dimension that the engagingportions are in contact with each other in the length direction of thecase. This increases the moving stroke of the battery apparatus at thetime of engaging and releasing the engaging portions, and introduces adisadvantage in improving operability.

Further, since the engaging portions of the battery apparatus aredisposed only at the two portions on both ends in the length direction,there is a disadvantage in reliably mounting the battery apparatus tothe battery mounting section.

Additionally, since the engaging portions are disposed at the twoportions in the length direction of the case, and the battery-sideterminal is disposed at the portion on one side of both ends in thelength direction of the case, there is an inconvenience that the batteryapparatus may be mounted incompletely on the battery mounting section.In other words, only the engaging portion nearer the battery-sideterminal of the two engaging portions is engaged to the engaging portionof the battery mounting section side, and the engaging portion on theopposite side of the battery-side terminal is not engaged with theengaged portion of the battery mounting section side. As a result, theremight cause a situation where the battery apparatus is inclined to thebattery mounting section, and a situation where the battery-sideterminal incompletely connects with the mounting section-side terminalto allow electrical continuity.

The present invention was accomplished in view of such circumstances,and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery apparatusand electronic equipment capable of reliably mounting the batteryapparatus on a battery mounting section, and advantageous in improvingoperability when mounting the battery apparatus on the battery mountingsection.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

To achieve the above-mentioned object, a battery apparatus of thepresent invention is a battery apparatus which includes a case having awidth, a thickness and a length; a battery cell housed in the inside ofthe case; and a battery-side terminal disposed at a surface of the caseand electrically connected to the battery cell, and is mounted whilemating a bottom surface positioned at one side in the thicknessdirection of the case with a mounting surface of a battery mountingsection of electronic equipment and then sliding the case in the lengthdirection of the case, so that the battery-side terminal makesconnection with a mounting section-side terminal of the battery mountingsection. The battery apparatus is characterized in that, at portions onboth sides in the width direction of the case, three or more engagingpieces, which extend in the length direction while projecting outwardlyin the width direction, and are engaged to engaging claws of the batterymounting section and position a position in the thickness direction ofthe case at the battery mounting section while mating the bottom surfaceof the case with the mounting surface and then sliding the case in thelength direction of the case, are disposed at spaced intervals in thelength direction.

In addition, electronic equipment of the present invention is electronicequipment having a battery mounting section on which a battery apparatusis removably mounted. The battery apparatus includes a case having awidth, a thickness and a length; a battery cell housed in the inside ofthe case; a bottom surface positioned at one side in the thicknessdirection of the case; and a battery-side terminal disposed at a surfaceof the case and electrically connected to the battery cell. At portionson both sides in the width direction of the case of the batteryapparatus, three or more engaging pieces extending in the lengthdirection while projecting outwardly in the width direction are disposedat spaced intervals in the length direction. The battery mountingsection includes a mounting section-side terminal to make contact withthe battery-side terminal, and a mounting surface with which the bottomsurface is mated. The mounting surface has a width of a dimensioncorresponding to the width of the case, and a length of a dimensiongreater than the length of the case. At portions on both sides in thewidth direction of the mounting surface on a mounting surface of thebattery mounting section, engaging claws, which engage the engagingpieces and position a position in the thickness direction of the case onthe mounting surface by matching the width direction and the lengthdirection of the case with the width direction and the length directionof the mounting surface, and mating the bottom surface of the case withthe mounting surface, and then sliding the case in the length directionof the case, are disposed in the number corresponding to that of theengaging pieces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken from the bottom of a batteryapparatus in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating the constructionof the battery apparatus of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a battery apparatus 100.

FIGS. 4A, B, C are explanatory view of the battery apparatus 100.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an important part in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an identification section 1036and its surroundings.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an imaging apparatus 200 to which thebattery apparatus 100 is attached externally.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a battery mounting section of the imagingapparatus 200.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus 200 with thebattery apparatus 100 mounted thereon.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view explaining the mounting of the batteryapparatus 100 on the battery mounting section 30.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which the batteryapparatus 100 is mounted on the battery mounting section 30.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of a lock mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a discriminating circuit of aconvex portion 1018.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view illustrating a state in which the batteryapparatus 100 is mounted inclined on the battery mounting section 30.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The object of improving operability when mounting a battery apparatus ona battery mounting section of electronic equipment is realized bydisposing three or more engaging pieces at the battery apparatus anddisposing engaging claws in the number corresponding to that of theengaging pieces at the battery mounting section.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention will next be described byreferring to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, a description will be made on a case wherethe battery apparatus of the present invention is mounted for use on animaging apparatus as electronic equipment.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken from the bottom of the batteryapparatus of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a disassembledperspective view illustrating a configuration of the battery apparatusof the first embodiment.

First, the battery apparatus will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, a battery apparatus 100 has a case 10, a batterycell (chargeable battery section) 12 (see FIG. 2) housed in the insideof the case 10, a control circuit board 16 disposed inside the case 10,and a battery-side terminal 14 disposed at the case 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the chargeable battery section 12 has fourcylindrical battery cells 1202, a plurality of wiring members 1204 forconnecting the electrodes of these respective battery cells 1202, and aholding member 1206 interposed between the side surfaces of therespective battery cells 1202.

The control circuit board 16 is connected via the wiring members 1204 toelectrodes of the respective battery cells 1202 such that it is attachedto the chargeable battery section 12. The control circuit board 16 has amicrocomputer including a CPU, a RAM and a ROM, an interface, etc, andis configured to execute data communication with external electronicequipment via the battery-side terminal 14. The data communicationincludes an output operation of identification data indicating acapacity and a characteristic feature of the battery apparatus 100.Examples of the identification data are data indicating whether a quickcharge is possible or not when the battery apparatus is mounted on abattery charger, and data indicating an appropriate charging currentvalue or an upper limit value of the charging current.

The battery-side terminal 14 is disposed at a surface of the case 10,and in the inside of the case 10, it is attached to the control circuitboard 16 to be made conductive to the electrodes of the battery cells1202 via the respective wiring members 1204, so that there areperformed, via the battery-side terminal 14, the supply of the operatingcurrent from the respective battery cells 1202 to the externalelectronic equipment, or the supply of charging current from the batterycharger to the respective battery cells 1202.

It is noted that the number and the shape of the battery cells 1202constituting the chargeable battery section 12, of course, varyaccording to the capacity and the characteristic of the batteryapparatus 100.

Description will now be made in detail of the construction of the case10.

FIG. 3(A) is a plan view of the battery apparatus 100, FIG. 3(B) is aview taken in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3(A), FIG. 3(C) is a viewtaken in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 3(A), FIG. 3(D) is a viewtaken in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 3(A), and FIG. 3(E) is asectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG. 3(B). FIG. 4A is abottom view of the battery apparatus 100, FIG. 4B is a view taken in thedirection of arrow B in FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a sectional view takenalong the line C-C in FIG. 4B. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portionindicated by F in FIG. 3(C). FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view ofan identification section 1036 and its surroundings.

The case 10 has a main body portion 1002 that is uniform in thedimension in a width direction W and extends in a length direction L,and a bottom portion 1004 that is disposed at the midpoint in the widthdirection W of the main body portion 1002 on one side in a thicknessdirection H, and extends in the length direction L in an uniform widthof a dimension smaller than the width of the main body portion 1002.

In the present embodiment, the case 10 includes a first segmentexcluding the portion nearer the bottom portion 1004 of the main bodyportion 1002 and the bottom portion 1004, and a second segment includingthe portion nearer the bottom portion 1004 of the main body portion 1002and the bottom portion 1004. These segments are mated with a matingsurface 1005 to form the case 10. The chargeable battery section 12 andthe control circuit board 16 are housed in the inside of these segments.

As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A, B and C, the portions on bothsides in the width direction W of the case 10 are formed as flat sidesurfaces 1006 that are parallel to each other and extend in the lengthdirection L. One plane in the thickness direction H of the case 10 isformed as a flat bottom surface 1008. In the present embodiment, theside surfaces on both sides in the width direction W of the main bodyportion 1002 constitute the side surfaces 1006, and the bottom surfaceof the bottom portion 1004 constitutes the bottom surface 1008.

At the portions of the bottom surface 1008 on the both sides in thewidth direction W, a plurality of engaging pieces 1012, which are threeengaging pieces 1012A, 1012B and 1012C in the present embodiment, areformed so as to project outwardly in the width direction W at spacedintervals in the length direction L. The portions of the respectiveengaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C) positioned at one endportion in the thickness direction H are formed as a bottom surfaceflush with the bottom surface 1008. The portions of the respectiveengaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C) positioned at the otherend portion in the thickness direction H are formed parallel to andarranged flush with the bottom surface 1008.

By disposing the three engaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C) inthis manner, three recess portions 1010 extending in the lengthdirection L are formed for each of the portions of the bottom surface1008 on both sides in the width direction W, by using the respectiveengaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C), side surfaces 1016 of thebottom portion 1004 positioned on both sides in the width direction W,and a plane 1014 on which the main body portion 1002 faces the bottomportion 1004.

These engaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C) are arranged toengage the engaging claws of the battery mounting section and positionthe positions in the thickness direction H of the case 10 in the batterymounting section, while mating the bottom surface 1008 of the case 10with the mounting surface of the battery mounting section of theelectronic equipment and then sliding the case in the length direction Lof the case 10.

The battery-side terminal 14 is disposed at a portion of the bottomsurface 1008 on one end in the length direction L.

The two engaging pieces 1012A and 1012C of the three engaging pieces1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C) are disposed at portions nearer the endportion in the length direction L of the case 10, and the remainingengaging piece 1012B is disposed at a portion close to the engagingpiece 1012A disposed nearer the end portion of the case 10 at which thebattery-side terminal 14 is positioned.

In the present embodiment, two convex portions 1018 projecting outwardlyin the width direction W from the side surfaces 1016 are disposed at theportions of the side surfaces 1016 of the bottom portion 1004 whichcorrespond to the two engaging pieces 1012A and 10128, respectively. Thetwo convex portions 1018 are formed in a projected dimension smallerthan the engaging pieces 1012A and 1012B.

One convex portion 1018 of the two convex portions 1018 providesconnection among the engaging pieces 1012A, the plane 1014 on which themain body portion 1002 faces the bottom portion 1004, and the sidesurfaces 1016 of the bottom portion 1004 positioned at both sides in thewidth direction W, and the other convex portion 1018 provides connectionamong the engaging piece 1012B, the plane 1014, and the side surfaces1016. Thereby, it is advantageous in improving the mechanical strengthof the engaging pieces 1012A and 1012B with these two convex portions1018.

In addition, a stopper wall 1020 for blocking the end portion in thelength direction L of the recess portion 1010 is disposed at a portionon the opposite side of the portion that the battery-side terminal 14 isdisposed at the portion of the side surface 1016 of the bottom portion1004 which corresponds to the remaining one engaging piece 1012C. Whenmounting the battery apparatus 100 on the battery mounting section, ifthe direction in the length direction of the battery apparatus 100 isnot a normal direction, the stopper wall 1020 abuts the engaging claw ofthe battery mounting section in order to prevent the battery apparatus100 from being mounted in an erroneous direction.

Since the engaging piece 1012C, the plane 1014, and the side surfaces1016 are connected to one another by the stopper wall 1020, it isadvantageous in improving the mechanical strength of the engaging piece1012C with the stopper wall 1020.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the end surfacesof the main body portion 1002 and the bottom portion 1004 on the side onwhich the battery-side terminal 14 is disposed, which is one of the endsurfaces on both ends in the length direction L of the case 10, areformed as a flat end surface 1022 orthogonal to the bottom surface 1008.A convex portion 1024 that is uniform in the dimension in the thicknessdirection H, and extends linearly in the width direction W is formed soas to swell at a portion apart in the thickness direction H from thebattery-side terminal 14 of the end surface 1022. The convex portion1024 is formed at the portion corresponding to the battery-side terminal14 and in a length X2 having a greater dimension than a length X1 of theportion at which at least the electrodes of the battery-side terminal 14are disposed.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, a recess portion 1028 is formed at thebottom surface 1008, and a specification plate 1026 is affixed to therecess portion 1028. The surface of the specification plate 1026 isflush with the bottom surface 1008, or the surface of the specificationplate 1026 is arranged to position nearer the inside of the case 10 thanthe bottom surface 1008. A positioning convex portion 1030 arrangedflush with the bottom surface 1008 is formed in the length direction Lfrom the portion positioned on the opposite side of the battery-sideterminal 14 in the length direction L of the recess portion 1028. Theconvex portion 1030 is inserted into a positioning groove 1027 of thespecification plate 1026.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the end surface of the main bodyportion 1002 positioned on the opposite side of the battery-sideterminal 14, which is one of the end surfaces of both ends in the lengthdirection L of the case 10, is formed as a flat end surface 1032orthogonal to the bottom surface 1008, and the end surface of the bottomportion 1004 positioned on the opposite side of the battery-sideterminal 14 is formed as a flat end surface 1034 that is parallel to theend surface 1032, at a portion displaced toward the inside of the case10 from the end surface 1032. Accordingly, the end surfaces 1032 and1034 constitute a cutout portion 1035 at a boundary portion between themain body portion 1002 and the bottom portion 1004, which are at the endportion positioned on the opposite side of the battery-side terminal 14in the length direction L of the case 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, two identification sections 1036are formed at portions on both sides of the bottom surface 1008 of thebottom portion 1004 which sandwich therebetween the battery-sideterminal 14 in the width direction W. These identification sections 1036are formed as recess portions 1038 that are opened in the thicknessdirection H and the length direction L, or as recess portions 1040 thatare opened in the thickness direction H and blocked in the lengthdirection L. The identification sections 1036 are identified byidentification means disposed on the electronic equipment side, and thisidentification is based on the shape of the recess portions 1038 and1040, and the dimension in the length direction L of the recess portions1038.

A plane portion in the vicinity of the recess portion 1010 of planesconstituting the recess portion 1038 is made to be an inclined surface1042 so as to ensure a wall thickness dimension between the recessportion 1010 and the recess portion 1038, thereby ensuring themechanical strength of the engaging piece 1012A.

An imaging apparatus 200 will next be described.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus 200 to which thebattery apparatus 100 is attached externally. FIG. 8 is an enlarged viewof a battery mounting section of the imaging apparatus 200. FIG. 9 is aperspective view of the imaging apparatus 200 showing a state where thebattery apparatus 100 is attached thereto.

As shown in FIG. 7, the imaging apparatus 200 includes a case 24, anoptical system 26 incorporated into a front portion of the case 24, animaging device (not shown) for imaging an image of a subject captured bythe optical system 26, a liquid crystal display section 28 fordisplaying an image taken by the imaging device, a recording/reproducingsection (not shown) for recording and/or reproducing an image taken bythe imaging device in a record medium, and a battery apparatus 100 forsupply power to the imaging device, the liquid crystal display section28, and the recording/reproducing section.

A battery mounting section 30, on which the battery apparatus 100 isremovably mounted, is disposed at a rear portion of the case 24.

The battery mounting section 30 has a flat mounting surface 3002, aplurality of engaging claws 3004 (3004A, 3004B and 3004C) disposed atthe mounting surface 3002, a mounting section-side terminal 32 capableof having contact with the battery-side terminal 14, and an engagingconvex portion 34 disposed at the mounting surface 3002.

The mounting surface 3002 has a width corresponding to the width of thebottom surface 1008 of the case 10 of the battery apparatus 100, and alength of a dimension greater than the length of the bottom surface1008, and also has a side surface 3008 standing from the periphery ofthe mounting surface 3002.

The mounting section-side terminal 32 is disposed at an end portion onthe opposite side of the optical system 26 in the length direction ofthe mounting surface 3002.

The engaging convex portion 34 is disposed at a portion on the oppositeside of the mounting section-side terminal 32 in the longitudinaldirection of the mounting surface 3002 to be able to protrude andretract with respect to the mounting surface 3002. The engaging convexportion 34 is normally biased in a direction in which it protrudes fromthe mounting surface 3002, and arranged to retract below the mountingsurface 3002 by the operation of a lock release button which is notshown.

The engaging claws 3004 (3004A, 3004B and 3004C) are provided in thenumber corresponding to that of the engaging pieces 1012 of the batteryapparatus 100, and are disposed three for each of the portions on bothsides in the width direction of the mounting surface 3002 in the presentembodiment to be formed to be engageable with the engaging pieces 1012(1012A, 1012B and 1012C).

As shown in FIG. 10, the respective engaging claws 3004 (3004A, 3004Band 3004C) have a longitudinal wall 3004E standing from the mountingsurface 3002, and a lateral wall 3004F projecting from a tip of thelongitudinal wall 3004E so as to be parallel to the mounting surface3002.

The two engaging claws 3004A and 3004C of the three engaging claws 3004(3004A, 3004B and 3004C) are disposed at portions nearer the end portionin the length direction of the mounting surface 3002, and the remainingengaging claw 3004B is disposed at a portion close to the engaging claw3004A disposed nearer the end portion of the mounting surface 3002, atwhich the mounting section-side terminal 32 is positioned.

The width direction W and the length direction L of the case 10 arematched with the width direction and the length direction of themounting surface 3002, and the battery-side terminal 14 of the batteryapparatus 100 is faced to the mounting section-side terminal 32 of thebattery mounting section 30, and the bottom surface 1008 of the batteryapparatus 100 is faced to the mounting surface 3002 of the batterymounting section 30. Then, the respective engaging pieces 1012 (1012A,1012B and 1012C) of the battery apparatus 100 are positioned apart fromone another with respect to the respective engaging claws 3004 (3004A,3004B and 3004C) in the length direction L. In this state, the bottomsurface 1008 of the battery apparatus 10 is made abut with the mountingsurface 3002 of the battery mounting section 30, and the batteryapparatus 100 is slid in the length direction of the case 10 and in thedirection in which the battery-side terminal 14 approaches the mountingsection-side terminal 32.

With this arrangement, the plurality of engaging claws 3004 is insertedinto their respective corresponding recess portions 1010 and engagedwith the engaging pieces 1012, and the bottom surface 1008 of the case10 is mated with the mounting surface 3002, thereby restricting themovement of the battery apparatus 100 toward the mounting surface 3002.It is configured such that the engagement between the engaging claws3004 and the engaging pieces 1012 restricts the movement of the batteryapparatus 100 in the direction away from the mounting surface 3002. Inthis case, the engagement between the engaging claws 3004 and theengaging pieces 1012 may alternatively restrict both of the movement ofthe battery apparatus 100 toward the mounting surface 3002 and themovement in the direction away from the mounting surface 3002.

In the battery apparatus 100, with the engaging claws 3004 engaged tothe engaging pieces 1012, the end surface 1022 on the battery-sideterminal 14 side, which is one of the two end surfaces in the lengthdirection L of the case 10, abuts the side surface 3008 of the batterymounting section 30, so that the engaging convex portion 34 is engagedto the cutout portion 1035 of the battery apparatus 100. This restrictsthe movement in the longitudinal direction of the case 10, therebyobtaining the mounting state of the battery apparatus 100 in the batterymounting section 30, so that the battery apparatus 100 is held.

In the present embodiment, under the engagement between the engagingclaws 3004 and the engaging pieces 1012, the tips of the engaging claws3004 come into contact with the tips of the convex portions 1018,thereby restricting the movement of the battery apparatus 100 in thewidth direction W. In this case, without making the tips of the engagingclaws 3004 and the tips of the convex portions 1018 in contact, themovement of the battery apparatus 100 in the width direction W mayalternatively be restricted by making other portions of the batteryapparatus 100 and portions of the battery mounting section 30 incontact, such as between the side surfaces 1006 of the case 10 of thebattery apparatus 100 and the portions of the battery mounting section30.

Then, mounting the battery apparatus 100 on the battery mounting section30 brings the battery-side terminal 14 of the battery apparatus 100 andthe mounting section-side terminal 32 of the battery mounting section 30in contact.

Upon the mounting of the battery apparatus 100 on the battery mountingsection 30 as described above, there may leave a gap between the endsurface 1022 of the battery-side terminal 14 side of the batteryapparatus 100 and a portion of a case 24 (the side surface 3008 of therecess portion 3006) of the imaging apparatus 200 opposed to the endsurface 1022, as shown in FIG. 11.

In this case, such a gap can be sealed with the convex portion 1024 byforming a recess groove 3010 in the side surface 3008 of the recessportion 3006 such that the convex portion 1024 of the battery apparatus100 is inserted into the recess groove 3010. Accordingly, this isadvantageous in reliably preventing, for example, a foreign matterhaving conductivity from entering through the above-mentioned gapportion and coming into contact with a connecting portion between thebattery-side terminal 14 and the mounting section-side terminal 32.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12, the case 24 may be provided with alock claw 2008 that is slid in a direction in which it connects anddeparts with respect to the cutout portion 1035 of the battery apparatus100 being mounted on the battery mounting section 30, and is constantlybiased in a direction in which it approaches the cutout portion 1035 bya biasing member such as a spring. Thus, it is also possible to arrangesuch that the engagement between the lock claw 2008 and the cutoutportion 1035 prevents the battery apparatus 100 from coming off thebattery mounting section 30, and the battery apparatus 100 can beremoved from the battery mounting section 30 by releasing the engagementbetween the cutout portion 1035 of the battery apparatus 100 and thelock claw 2008.

In this case, the cutout portion 1035 of the battery apparatus 100 isdisplaced toward the inside of the battery apparatus 100 from the endsurface 1032, and hence the lock claw 2008 can be disposed at a portiondisplaced toward the inside of the case 24 from the exterior of the case24, thus enabling to construct the lock claw 2008 without causing it toproject outwardly from the exterior of the case 24 of the imagingapparatus 200. Accordingly, it is advantageous in achievingminiaturization of the imaging apparatus 200 and also improving designcharacteristic.

In addition, in this case, since the portion at which the lock claw 2008is engaged to the cutout portion 1035 is constantly biased in thedirection in which it approaches the bottom surface 1008 of the batteryapparatus 100, upon the slide of the bottom surface 1008 of the batteryapparatus 100 along the mounting surface 3002 when mounting the batteryapparatus 100 on the battery mounting section 30, or when removing thebattery apparatus 100 from the battery mounting section 30, the tip ofthe lock claw 2008 projecting to the bottom surface 1008 abuts thesurface of a label, such as the specification plate 1026 affixed to thebottom surface 1008, by the above-mentioned bias, and the printedportion of the surface of the specification plate 1026 etc. might beworn off and vanished by friction.

In this case, the lock claw 2008 may be arranged to abut the positioningconvex portion 1030 at its tip. Thus, the tip of the lock claw 2008abuts the positioning convex portion 1030, but does not abut the surfaceof the specification plate 1026. Therefore, the surface of thespecification plate 1026 is unsusceptible to damage and dirt, and henceit is advantageous in protecting the printed portion of the surface ofthe specification plate 1026. In this case, the positioning convexportion 1030 may be flush with the surface of the specification plate1026, or may be disposed so as to position at the outside of the case 10away from the surface of the specification plate 1026.

In another alternative, with the position of the end surface 1022 of thebattery apparatus 100 as reference, it is possible to determine whetherthe battery apparatus 100 is a normal product or not, based on thepositions of the respective convex portions 1018 disposed in the lengthdirection L (or based on the presence and absence of the respectiveconvex portions 1018 or the number of the convex portions 1018). Forexample, as shown in FIG. 13, sensors 302 and 304 are disposed at abattery housing room 20, each of which includes a microswitch forsensing the positions of the respective convex portions 1018 in thelength direction L with the end surface 1022 of the battery apparatus100 as reference. There is also disposed a discriminating circuit 30 fordiscriminating whether the respective convex portions 1018 arepositioned correctly, on the basis of detecting signals from therespective sensors 302 and 304.

With this construction, on the basis of the discriminating result of thediscriminating circuit 306, the power supply from the battery apparatus100 can be permitted only in a case where the battery apparatus 100 isrecognized as a normal product, and if not, the power supply from thebattery apparatus 100 can be prohibited. This enables to prevent inadvance the use of the battery apparatus 100 that is not a normalproduct.

In addition, the above-mentioned identification data of the batteryapparatus 100 can be indicated by the positions of the respective convexportions 1018 disposed in the length direction L, or the presence andabsence of the respective convex portions 1018, or the number of theconvex portions 1018.

For example, in accordance with the construction shown in FIG. 9, fourtypes of identification data can be indicated in a combination of ON andOFF of the two sensors 302 and 304. Needless to say, eight types ofidentification information are obtainable by disposing four sensors soas to detect the positions of a total of four convex portions 1018disposed on both sides in the width direction of the case 10 of thebattery apparatus 100.

Additionally, if a sensor that can measure the position of therespective convex portions 1018 in the length direction with the endsurface 1022 as reference is used, it is of course possible to furtherincrease the type of identification data detectable by the sensors.

In a case where the electronic equipment on which the battery apparatus100 is mounted is a battery charger for giving a charge to the batteryapparatus 100, one or more sensors similar to the above-mentionedsensors 302 and 304 may be disposed at the battery charger such thatthey sense the presence and absence of the mounting of the batteryapparatus 100, and the charging operation to the battery apparatus 100is started in response to this sensing operation.

Further, it is possible to determine characteristics features of thebattery apparatus 100 (such as an appropriate charging current value, oras to whether quick charge is possible or not) on the battery chargerside by sensing the positions of the convex portions 1018 with theabove-mentioned sensors.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, it is arranged such that the surface ofthe specification plate 1026 is flush with the bottom surface 1008, orthe surface of the specification plate 1026 is positioned at the insideof the case 10 from the bottom surface 1008, and also the positioningconvex portion 1030 arranged flush with the bottom surface 1008 isinserted into the positioning groove 1027 of the specification plate1026. Therefore, even if the bottom surface of the battery apparatus 100and the mounting surface 3002 of the battery mounting section 30 areworn off by mounting and removing the battery apparatus 100 with respectto the battery mounting section 30, the surface of the specificationplate 1026 is unsusceptible to damage and dirt, and hence it isadvantageous in protecting the surface of the specification plate 1026.

Description will next be made of the effects of the present embodiment.

According to the battery apparatus 100 and the imaging apparatus 200 inthe present embodiment, a total of six engaging pieces 1012 can beengaged to six engaging claws 3004 while mating the bottom surface 1008of the case 10 of the battery apparatus 100 with the mounting surface3002 of the battery mounting section 30, and then sliding the case 10 inthe length direction L of the case 10.

This enables to reduce the dimension in the length direction L of theportion at which the engaging pieces 1012 and the engaging claws 3004are engaged with each other, while reliably holding the batteryapparatus 100 at the battery mounting section 30. It is thereforeadvantageous in reducing the slide stroke of the battery apparatus 100,and facilitating the mounting of the battery apparatus 100 onto thebattery mounting section 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, when the battery apparatus 100 in itsinclined state is mounted on the battery mounting section 30, althoughthe engaging piece 1012A disposed nearer the end portion of the case 10,at which the battery-side terminal 14 is positioned, engages theengaging claw 3004A positioned nearer the mounting sections sideterminal 32, the engaging piece 1012B disposed at the portion close tothe engaging piece 1012A abuts the engaging claw 3004B and thereby toincrease the angle of inclination between the battery apparatus 100 andthe mounting surface 3002, that is, the angle between the bottom surface1008 of the case 10 of the battery apparatus 100 and the mountingsurface 3002 of the battery mounting section 30.

Accordingly, it is possible to immediately recognize that the mountingstate of the battery apparatus 100 is incomplete, and hence it isadvantageous in reliably mounting the battery apparatus 100.

In the present embodiment, the engaging piece 1012B is disposed close tothe engaging claw 3004A positioned nearer the mounting section-sideterminal 32. Therefore, when the mounting state of the battery apparatus100 is incomplete, the inclination of the battery apparatus 100 to themounting surface 3002 is increased to make it easier to recognize thatthe mounting state of the battery apparatus 100 is incomplete.

It is noted that if the angle of the battery apparatus 100 to themounting surface 3002 is 10 degrees or more, the inclination of thebattery apparatus 100 is recognizable immediately.

Further, referring to FIG. 10, the following effect can be introduced bythe arrangement that the dimension in the length direction of theengaging claw 3004A nearer the mounting section-side terminal 32 of theengaging claws 3004 of the imaging apparatus 200 is set to be smallerthan the dimension in the length direction of the remaining two engagingclaws 3004B and 3004C.

Specifically, if the battery apparatus 100 is mounted incompletely tothe battery mounting section 30, that is, in a case where the engagingpiece 1012A disposed nearer the end portion of the case 10, at which thebattery-side terminal 14 is positioned, engages the engaging claw 3004Apositioned nearer the mounting section-side terminal 32, and theremaining two engaging pieces 1012B and 1012C do not engage the engagingclaws 3004B and 3004C, the battery apparatus 100 is inclined in thedirection in which it departs from the mounting surface 3002 by theself-weight of the battery apparatus 100. The angle of this inclinationbecomes remarkable as the dimension in the length direction of theengaging claw 3004A positioned nearer the mounting section-side terminal32 is set to be smaller. Hence, as described above, the inclination ofthe battery apparatus 100 to the mounting surface 3002 in the case wherethe mounting state of the battery apparatus 100 is incomplete isincreased so that it becomes easier to recognize that the mounting stateof the battery apparatus 100 is incomplete.

Alternatively, the battery apparatus 100 of the present embodiment maybe constructed as follows.

Specifically, the battery apparatus 100 has a case 10. The case 10 hastwo end surfaces 1022 and 1032 positioned at both ends in the lengthdirection L of the case 10, and side surfaces 1006 for connecting thetwo end surfaces 1022 and 1032. A battery-side terminal 14 is disposedso as to face at least one selected from either of the end surface 1022of the two end surfaces 1022 and 1032, and the side surfaces 1006connected to the end surface 1022. An error insertion preventing grooveincluding a plurality of recess portions 1010 and extending in thelength direction L is formed in the side surface 1006. In a case ofassuming that the side of the battery-side terminal 14 is the front inthe length direction L, and the opposite direction is the back, theerror insertion preventing groove is opened at a portion nearer thebattery-side terminal 14 of both ends in the length direction L (thefront end portion), and closed at the opposite side portion (the backend portion). Further, a convex portion 1018 swelling outwardly of thecase 10 is formed at the error insertion preventing groove, or two ormore convex portions 1018 are formed at spaced intervals in the lengthdirection L.

With this construction, as described with reference to FIG. 13, theidentification data of the battery apparatus 100 can be indicated by theposition of the convex portions 1018 in the length direction L, or thepresence and absence of the convex portions 1018, or the number of theconvex portions 1018. In this case, since the convex portions 1018 swelloutwardly of the case 10, they do not occupy the space within the case10. This is advantageous in ensuring the space for housing parts in theinside of the case 10, or achieving miniaturization of the case 10, andalso advantageous in improving the degree of freedom of the design ofthe battery apparatus 100.

Alternatively, in the battery apparatus 100 of the present embodiment,the error insertion preventing groove is disposed respectively at theportions on the two side surfaces 1006, which sandwich the case 10therebetween in the width direction W and are opposed to each other. Inthis case, by having the two error insertion preventing grooves engagedto their respective corresponding projections, the position of the case10 in the thickness direction H can be positioned to permit the errorinsertion preventing grooves to function as positioning grooves.

With this construction, in a case of providing a battery housing roomthat houses the battery apparatus 100 by having it inserted in thelength direction L, a battery apparatus having a different dimension inthe thickness direction H can be positioned and housed within thebattery housing room by disposing the respective projections within thebattery housing room and having the two error insertion preventinggrooves engaged to the respective projections.

Alternatively, in the battery apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, aplurality of recess portions 1010 are formed by a plurality of engagingpieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C), portions of the side surfaces 1016that face these engaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C),respectively, and portions of planes 1014 that face these engagingpieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C), respectively. These recessportions 1010 can constitute the above-mentioned error insertionpreventing grooves.

Alternatively, in the battery apparatus 100 of the present embodiment,there are disposed convex portions 1018 connecting to the plurality ofengaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 1012C), respectively. Theportions at which the respective convex portions 1018 are respectivelyconnected to the engaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and 10120) areportions nearer the direction in which the battery apparatus 100 ismoved (slid) when mounting the battery apparatus 100 on the batterymounting section 30 (i.e., the portions nearer the battery-sideterminal).

With this construction, when the respective engaging pieces 1012 (1012A,1012B and 1012C) are engaged to and removed from the engaging claws 3004(3004A, 3004B and 30040), a distance in the length direction L isensured respectively between the engaging piece 1012A and the engagingclaw 3004A, between the engaging piece 1012B and the engaging claw3004B, and between the engaging piece 1012C and the engaging claw 3004C.Accordingly, when the respective engaging pieces 1012 (1012A, 1012B and1012C) are engaged to and removed from the engaging claws 3004 (3004A,3004B and 3004C), interference between the respective engaging claws3004 and the respective convex portions 1018 is hardly caused, and henceit is advantageous in executing smooth mounting and removal of thebattery apparatus 100.

While in the present embodiment the imaging apparatus is illustrated aselectronic equipment, the present invention is of course applicable to abattery charger for charging a battery apparatus, and a variety of theelectronic equipment operable with a battery apparatus.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the battery apparatus and the electronic equipment of thepresent invention, the three or more engaging pieces of the batteryapparatus are engaged to the engaging claws of the battery mountingsection while mating the bottom surface of the case of the batteryapparatus with the mounting surface of the battery mounting section andthen sliding the case in the length direction of the case. It istherefore possible to reduce the dimension in the length direction ofthe portions at which the engaging pieces and the engaging claws areengaged to each other, while maintaining reliably the mounting state ofthe battery apparatus. This is advantageous in reducing the slide strokeof the battery apparatus and improving the operability of mounting andremoval of the battery apparatus with respect to the battery mountingsection.

In addition, since the three or more of the engaging pieces and theengaging claws are disposed at spaced intervals in the length directionof the case, if the battery apparatus is mounted obliquely on thebattery mounting section, the battery apparatus is inclined greatly tothe battery mounting section, and hence user can recognize immediatelythat the mounting is incomplete. This is advantageous in reliablymounting the battery apparatus on the battery mounting section.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A battery comprising: a case having awidth, a thickness, and a length; a battery cell housed in an inside ofthe case; a battery-side terminal disposed on a side surface at one endof the case in a length direction and electrically connected to thebattery cell; an engaging piece disposed at the one end of the case atwhich the battery-side terminal is positioned such that the engagingpiece extends from an upper portion of the one end of the case in alength direction a same distance away from the one end of the case as alower portion of the case at the one end extends in the length directionsuch that an edge of the engaging piece at the one end of the case inthe length direction is even with an edge of the lower portion of thecase in the length direction at the one end of the case, the engagingpiece also located at an edge of the case in a width direction; and asecond engaging piece disposed at the one end of the case at which thebattery-side terminal is positioned such that the second engaging pieceextends from the upper portion of the one end of the case in the lengthdirection the same distance away from the one end of the case as a lowerportion of the case at the one end extends in the length direction suchthat an edge of the second engaging piece in the length direction at theone end of the case is even with the edge of the case in the lengthdirection at the one end of the case, the second engaging piece locatedat an edge of the case in the width direction on an opposite side of thecase in the width direction from the engaging piece.
 2. The battery asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising: a convex portion located betweenand connected to the case and the engaging piece, the convex portionextending in the width direction a distance less than a distance theengaging piece extends in the width direction.
 3. The battery as claimedin claim 1, further comprising: a second convex portion located betweenand connected to the case and the second engaging piece, the secondconvex portion extending in the width direction a distance less than adistance the second engaging piece extends in the width direction.
 4. Abattery comprising: a case having a width, a thickness, and a length; abattery cell housed in an inside of the case; a battery-side terminaldisposed on a side surface at one end of the case in a length directionand electrically connected to the battery cell; an engaging piecedisposed at the one end of the case at which the battery-side terminalis positioned such that the engaging piece extends from an upper portionof the one end of the case in a length direction a same distance awayfrom the one end of the case as a lower portion of the case at the oneend extends in the length direction such that an edge of the engagingpiece at the one end of the case in the length direction is even with anedge of the lower portion of the case in the length direction at the oneend of the case, the engaging piece also located at an edge of the casein a width direction; and a convex terminal side portion projecting inthe length direction from the one end surface of the case and extendingin the width direction along the one end surface of the case, the convexterminal side portion disposed at a distance in the thickness directionfrom the battery-side terminal, the convex terminal side portion beinglocated on the one end of the case, and the convex terminal side portionprojecting in the length direction away from an outermost end surface ofthe case a distance greater than a distance any other portion of thebattery extends in the length direction.
 5. The battery as claimed inclaim 1, wherein a recess portion is formed between the engaging pieceand the battery-side terminal, the recess portion being open at the endof the case in the length direction.
 6. The battery as claimed in claim1, wherein the battery-side terminal is located between the firstengaging piece and the second engaging piece.